Fate Be Changed
by TheAngelofFate
Summary: What if you had a second chance at life? To see the current world through the eyes of your younger self? The only catch would be have no memory of your adult life. Would you? What about the people you've come to see as your friends? Would they try and change you back or try to give you the childhood you deserved? {De-aged Erik Lensherr. No slash. Big!Brother Charles, please R&R}
1. Chapter 1

_Edit_ **_2018, September 22nd:_**

 _*breathes in*_ Alright here goes, so it's been a while since I updated this story, I cant apologize enough for that. But after recently watching all of the (as in First Class, DOFP and Apocalypse) X-Men movies, the love and preciousness I had for Charles and Erik's friendship was restored, and now I am inspired to continue this little story.

Though due to the fact that I can't completely remember exactly where this story was going when I started writing it, I am just going to wing it the best I can while making various changes to the other previous chapters along the way.

* * *

Erik hated anniversaries.

Honestly, what good were they? All they do is bring up the pain in your life when you wish you could just forget about it all together. Push it to the far corners to your mind and pretend it's not there. Or maybe it was just the anniversaries that involved himself and his mistakes that he hated.

 _1962, Cuba._ The day he became Magneto, the day he killed Shaw, the day he decided to fight for his kind and when he regretfully cost Charles his legs.

 _1973, Washington D.C._ Where he tried to kill the president and his comrades, where he once again fought for his kind— acted out on violence to get the job done but only sought to protect them, where he said his goodbyes to Raven and Charles.

And _1983, Poland_. The day where his pain came _crashing_ back into him like a speeding train, the day where he lost his beloved wife and daughter. Where he lost everything he cared about once again, where he fully became Magneto once again after ten long years, he let his emotions consume him.

Yes, he hated them. With such a furious passion, he hated how they were reminders of his mistakes, of how much of a failure he was.

But during those years, Erik realized that the first year was always the hardest.

When the anniversary for what happened in Cuba rolled around in 1963 a year later, Erik remembered walking into a bar that evening and didn't return to the hideout among his Brotherhood until late that night. Strangely, he was equal parts drunk and sober at the same time as he remembered Raven carrying him to bed as he vaguely murmured about his utter guilt to what he had done to his first real friend in his entire life. Later, Raven had revealed the various times he woke up in a cold sweat, deliriously muttering how sorry he was to her.

Two years after the events in Washington, Erik stood by the phone, hand hovering over the receiver, Raven's current number written on a crumpled piece of paper, Charles' number right below hers. Battling with himself if he could work up the courage to call them, to check on them. See how they were doing, but something always stopped him from dialing, whether that be his cowardliness, his guilt or possibly both Erik wasn't sure. But when slim hands wrapped gently around his neck and a kiss was placed to his temple, Erik realized as he looked to his wife holding their baby girl, that after all the trouble he had caused them over the years, after all his mistakes he made, they didn't need him.

And Erik had accepted that long ago.

Three different events, at different times and in different parts of the world, but they still left holes within his heart, because those mistakes were his to bare, and his _alone_ no matter how much they pained him to remember every year.

But now there was _this_ , this particular moment in his life was still so fresh and raw within his heart, within his mind that it causes him to visibly grimace. This event having only happened last year on that cold night in Poland, where he lost his beautiful Magda and his angelic Nina. Surprisingly enough, Erik hadn't known it was that dreadful day until he had left of his small, dimly lit apartment and went to get some much needed fresh air.

 _Oh_ how he wished he had stayed inside.

Everything had been fine, Erik had walked down to the local park, quietly sat down on one of the benches and proceeded to watch the human's he had once despised with all his heart walked their dogs and play with their children, feeling oddly content with his surrounding as he read a few pages from the newspaper he had just required, absentmindedly sipping his coffee. That was until his eyes drifted to the date above the top page: _January 24th, 1983_.

Everything else seemed to shatter around him as he realized—

Magda and Nina...

 _Scheiße..._

His eyes immediately grew damp as he remembered how much it _hurt_ when he lost them. _Oh Gott seine_ _kostbar babies!_ He remembered how angry he was at the human for taking them away from him after he tried so hard to live among them in peace, how angry he was at _God_ himself for causing him so much sorrow, as if the Sacred Man was mocking him. But now he wasn't angry anymore, now he was just heartbroken and so _done_ with everything.

His heart ached and his vision blurred as he stood up from the bench. Blindly, Erik made his way out of the park, he walked a few ways before he decided to go to the one place that he knew would help kill the pain within his heart. As soon as he entered the bar Erik barely sat down before he ordered a glass of whiskey, wasting no time in downing the shot. Erik savored the taste and told the man behind the counter to keep them coming. Relishing in the fact that if his thoughts ever drifted to what he lost then he could simply order more whiskey to numb the pain. After his fifth glass the bartender cut him off... or at least he tried too. "I think you've had enough, friend."

Erik hiccuped, though it sound more like a miserable sob. "Don't tell... _me_ when I've had enough... I'm from Poland, I know how to hold my liquor." The old man merely shrugged, not pressing the issue any further, which Erik was thankful for.

"Suite yourself, but don't go complaining when you wake up in the morning with a screaming headache."

Ten empty glasses later and Erik couldn't think straight anymore. All his senses were blurred and clouded with a thick fog. "Alright, now I'm officially cutting you off." The bartender stated firmly. "You put anymore liquor in your system and you are going to die from alcohol poisoning." Erik numbly felt the man grab his arm and yank him off his chair. Unfortunately Erik's dead weight must have been too solid for the elderly man because seconds later he felt everything fall underneath him as he went crashing to the floor below, a sharp pain shooting through his skull, his vision to blackening. Erik let out a loud yelp of agony as he curled into himself. Faintly, amongst the pain and misery he was feeling, Erik heard a voice.

It sounded young, it also sounded... female?

"Gran— ppened?"

"—hing sweet..."

He curled even tighter into himself. His headache throbbing as he tried and failed to hear what these voices were saying.

"...ait, can I hel—?"

"Sop—! Don't... uch him!"

His vision blackened once again when Erik felt a something touch his arm and a white hot energy flowed through his entire body like an electric current, only further adding to his pain, he cried out brokenly as his brain began to shut down.

He _really_ wished he had stayed inside his apartment.

* * *

"Class dismissed."

Charles watched with fondness as his student gathered their things and left his classroom. He waved goodbye to Kurt, Scott and Jean feeling delighted that those three had become such fast friends in only a few short months, he was proud of his students, of every single one of them. But the ones he was most proud of, the ones he held such deep graduate for were the one who had come to his recuse back in Egypt. He will be eternally grateful for their help. He moved his wheelchair over to the window and looked outside. The telepath could still hardly believe that even after all that he's been through— Cuba, Washington, and Carino everything was finally falling into place, just as the older version of himself from the future had shown him. Only this time Raven was here _not_ walking down such a dark path of killing, he only wished that Erik will one day know such peace as well.

Yes, their future still wasn't set in stone, they still had a long way to go before mutants and humans could finally live in peace but things were different, things were _good_ for once in their lives and that filled Charles with such _relief_ and _happiness_ then he has ever experienced in his life. A small smile formed on his lips when he heard the thoughts of Moria behind him, before she even walked into the room, his beloved agent had planned on surprising him, but then decided against it once she realized that her love can read minds. "I find emptying ones mind of all thoughts to be the best way to surprise a telepath." He commented, simply as he turned his chair around to face his wife and grinned at her.

Moria's face blushed with embarrassment but she smiled nonetheless. "That's actually a bit harder then you make it sound, Charles." She said with a small laugh as she walked over and embraced him, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. Warmth filled his heart, and he returned the kiss with one of his own. The peace within his life washed over him once more and Charles couldn't help but let out a sigh of contentment, another smile forming on his lips.

"What's going on inside that head of yours, dear?" Moria inquired softly, her voice as calm and loving as always.

Charles raised his hand and ran it a crossed his bald head, chuckling. "Nothing, just thinking how far we've come since Cuba, since D.C. and Carino. I have hope one day things will be even better in the future then they are now."

"I've always admired your optimism, Charles. You give these kids hope that things will be okay."

"Well, I'm glad for that. Glad that after everything, I can give them a place to feel safe, and teach them." Charles confirmed with a small chuckle. "It's my job too—" The telepath trailed off and his face went slack as he suddenly felt a rush of frantic thoughts. Charles tried to focus on them, tried to help, to calm this person's mind but they were jumbled and muted, almost as if someone didn't want him in their head. The only thing Charles could get from them was that this person felt old, elderly. But as quickly as those thoughts slammed into his mind they disappeared a few moments later, out of Charles telepathic range.

He blinked several times, coming back to reality as he tried to make sense of what exactly that was all about.

A gush of wind blew through the air, then suddenly Peter was standing there. "Yo, Professor!" The speedster said as he adjusted the goggles on his head. "Hank said for you to come downstairs right now." Peter informed the pair of them, and then three seconds later he was gone. Charles and Moria gave each other confused looks before they started making their way out in the front door, immediately the telepath saw Hank kneeling down on the floor with his back facing Charles, with Raven beside him.

He didn't need to read their minds to know that something was wrong. "Hank? Raven?" He called out as he approached them. "What's happened?"

Raven turned to him. "Charles..." His sister stated, sounding utterly confused. Charles became cautious at his sister features but continued moving anyway, by the time he pulled his wheelchair to a stop Hank was already standing up. When the scientist turned around, Charles saw that he was holding a little boy in his arms.

The telepaths eyes widened in the same shock as Raven's had.

For he recognized this boy— _yes_ , Charles knew him, remembered the torment this boy went through, the pain and sorrow. He recalled it all from the childhood— from the memories of the man that he considered his dearest friend.

"Erik?"

* * *

I've just always liked the concept of a character getting de-aged and their family having to take care of them. So Erik turning into a child is something I couldn't pass up, especially given his childhood and how tormented he was by Shaw.

It'll given the Xavier household a opportunity to give little Erik a second chance at having a loving family while simultaneously trying to get Erik back to normal. Plus, it'll also given me a chance to write Charles being a big brother/father figure to a young Erik and come to understand him a little more.

Also you'll have to forgive me if I messed up the date on the deaths of Magda and Nina, I don't actually know when they died. I hope you guys can also forgive me if Erik's German speaking if wrong. My main language is English so I used Google Translate.

Anyhoo, a penny for your thoughts? Perhaps a nickel? Please leave them in a review if you want me to continue and I will see you all soon.


	2. Chapter 2

For a moment, all Charles could do was stare at the boy, who looked exactly like Erik did when he was a small child back in 1944. Hank moved closer to Charles, giving the telepath enough room to see the child closer. And there was no mistaking it. The young, skinny pale face combined with how small and fragile he looked— this was without a doubt, Erik Lensherr. And by the expressions on Hank and Raven's as well as Moira's faces, they knew it as well, for they all read Erik's file at one point, saw the photos of this and all the torment he endured back them.

Shifting to the left, Charles also realized something else.

"He's bleeding." His fingers rose and brushed lightly against the large gash on the side of Erik's temple. This only seemed to deepen Charles' concern even more, what exactly happened to his friend how did he get in such a state?

Shaking his head, Charles decided that they would deal with this mystery later, Erik's well being was more important. "Hank, let's take him to the infirmary, please." The telepath ordered, gently as he turned his wheelchair around.

"Charles?" Raven's voice still held shock as they made their way down the corridors of the Manor towards the infirmary and he could tell by the look on her face that she was still having trouble processing all this, which he could sympathize with. "That's _Erik_."

"I can see that, Raven."

"But _how_?" His sister asked, as she began to walk faster to keep up with him. "The last time we saw him he was an adult. Hell, I'm pretty sure that he's older then _all_ of us, and now suddenly he's nine years old? How is that even possible?"

Charles brought his chair to a stop and turned to face her. "I honestly don't know, Raven. But right now we need to tend to his injury and make sure we know he's going to be alright before we worry about how this all happened, okay?" The telepath answered, calmly.

She looked at him for a few minutes, then sighed. "Alright... But I'm holding you to that, Charles."

* * *

"So how is he?"

Nilana— the doctor Charles had hired a few years ago turned to him and flipped open her clipboard, revealing Erik's results. "Well, other then the wound a crossed his temple— which I have cleaned and stitched, there really isn't anything else wrong with him. But—" The doctor paused, looking perplexed.

"What is it that concerns you, Nilana?" Charles' voice was calm.

"The cut isn't what troubles me. What _does_ is how he got it. Mostly, I would write this off and say that he was just clumsy, but what I found from his blood results says otherwise." Nilana explained, as she proceeded to hand them a copy of Erik's blood work.

"I was able to detect high amounts of whiskey in his system, enough to make him disoriented enough to to take such a fall, which most likely caused that gash on his head."

"So Erik was drunk before he became this way?" Hank inquired, softly.

But Raven and Moria looked more lost then ever. "But that can't be the reason he's like this. It doesn't make sense." The shapeshifter declared. And Charles agreed with her, alcohol may have been the reason Erik got injured, but it wasn't for his baffling feat of aging backwards.

"When he wakes up, will he be... _hung over_?"

Nilana simply shrugged her shoulders, "Honestly, I don't know. If Mr. Lensherr was still an adult, then from a _professional_ stand point I'd say yes, with the amount of alcohol in his body. But with the blood sample I recently took showing hardly to no signs of the whiskey that was in his system before. My _personal_ opinion says that we'll have to see when he wakes up." Charles' gaze moved towards the boy on the bed. It was still so strange to see this child in person. He only ever saw this version of Erik in his friend's memories. He looked so frail and small as he lay there on the medical bed, underneath all those blankets.

Even when Erik did wake, what then? They still had no idea what caused this, or if Erik was going to be able to tell them anything at all.

Abruptly, as though someone flipped a lamp on, he realized something. He realized, that there was someone out there that might know what was going on, someone that had something to do with Erik's current condition. He felt himself so foolish for not figuring it out sooner.

The unknown thoughts that he picked up on, the person that blocked him out, that muted their thoughts and then was gone just as fast as they had appeared. "Something has come to my attention, Hank? Raven? Will one of you stay with Erik, please? I have to go to Cerebro." He told them as he moved his wheelchair out of the room without waiting for a response from either of them.

Charles felt Moria entered Cerebro a few hours later. And by how generally calm her mind was the telepath could tell that the initial shock of what happened Erik had worn off and now his wife was beginning thinking more clearly. Charles wish he could say that for Raven, Hank and himself. He honestly hadn't meant to peak inside their thoughts, he truly didn't but with the power of Cerebro he couldn't always help it sometimes, their thoughts also being so loud too didn't help matters either. Raven was having a hard time seeing their friend that young, and Charles could feel that she was feeling conflicted by all of this. And it made sense given that long before Erik met Magda and had Nina, his sister and the metal bender had something close to a romance, which is probably the reason she always defended him.

Now Hank may not have always seen Erik as a friend. In fact, Charles was still able to feel jealously from within the scientist, jealously for the obvious relationship Raven and Erik had, he also felt regret tinted within his mind because of not telling Raven his true feeling when he had the chance, back in 1962 all he could think about was being normal and that had cost him Raven. Hank even came as far as hating Erik in the years after Cuba, and Washington, but Charles was glad to see that over the past year that hatred has faded and now Hank felt no ill-will to the child that he was currently watching over in the infirmary.

"What are you looking for, Charles?"

Charles rubbed a hand a crossed his mouth as he continued his search. "Before this all happened, there was a moment when I felt someone's mind abruptly appear within the area of the school. When I tried to access more about them, tried to talk to them." He explained as he tried his best to worn off the headache he was now receiving from the stress of everything and the over use of Cerebro. "They had blocked me out, put up walls within their mind to keep me out, it was if they knew who I was and what I could do. And then just like that they were gone." The telepath paused as he attempted to widen his telepathic range even further. Charles felt Moria move and stand beside him.

"But what does that have to do with Erik?" She asked, her curiosity peaked.

He thought for moment before he answered her, "That whole encounter... I thought it was strange, but I didn't have time to really think about it fully because of what happened afterwards. But now I realize that it can't be a coincidence; this person, with their blocked thoughts and Erik being the way he is are connected."

"This person? Are they human or mutant?"

The telepath let out a puff of air at that question. "I don't know. There are a lot of humans out there that know of me and my abilities and from what little I could gather this person _seemed_ human but there are more mutants out in the world that have felt me inside their minds more and in light of Erik's condition I'd say a mutant."

Moria was silent for a few moments, and Charles could feel that she was thinking deeply, as she always did when it comes to figuring something out. But he decided to let her thoughts remain her own. "So we are dealing with a mutant that what? Has the power to turn people into kids? I'd ask if that was even possible but given what I've seen over the years, nothing surprising me anymore. Can you find him or her?"

Charles raised a hand and rubbed it down his face, feeling frustrated he was having this much trouble locating one person. "I have been trying to do that. But every time I come close to seeing into their thoughts, into feeling their emotions, they block me off and disappear a second later." He stated, tiredly, as he took off the Cerebro helmet and placed it on the control panel. "It'll take me sometime but I'll locate them eventually, they can't keep blocking me out forev—!" A sharp pain interrupted him, as the emotions of utter _horror, confusion_ and _fear_ jolted through his mind, and an intense feeling of emptiness. Those emotions continued to slam into Charles, they were so powerful and filled with so much raw pain that it gave him an instant headache.

"Charles?" Moria asked, concerned, her voice sounded to be at a distance even though her hands were right on his shoulders, steadying him, grounding him to reality.

Immediately, the telepath knew what was happening.

Erik was awake.

The child that has been through hell and back throughout his entire life was finally awake and was absolutely _terrified_. Charles knew he needed to do something, but with much difficulty he resisted talking to his young friend through his thoughts, knowing that doing so would probably make things worse. "It would appear that Erik has awoken." He informed Moria as wheeled himself out of Cerebro and down the hallway towards the elevator. "And it would also seem that he has no memory of what happened to him, in fact, the only memories I'm receiving are the imprisonments and experiments from Shaw." Moria's expression of worry only seemed to increase as the elevator door closed they were raised back into the Manor.

As they moved down the hallway, Charles began hearing Erik's yells echo throughout them. Then there were several loud crashes from a few feet away, along with Nilana's scream and Charles forced his wheelchair to move faster.

He could feel Erik growing more and more unstable, on the verge of hysterics. As he wheeled himself inside, Charles saw the full damaged done to the infirmary. It was completely trashed, the medical bed, the tools and literally everything else that was made of metal had been scattered all around the room, and looking to his left he saw Hank protecting Nilana from behind a table that just so happened to be made of wood, to his right he saw Raven kneeling on the ground, she turned and the sadness on her face was crystal clear. In the farthest of the room, Charles saw Erik, pressed up against the corner of the room curled into a ball and crying, his arms covering his head.

" _Nein! Gehen Sie weg, bitte..._ " Charles heard the boy whimper as his body began to tremble. His German was rusty, but he still was able to understand that his friend was scared and wanted to be left alone. " _Mumie... Vati! Helfen Sie mir!_ " Images of Erik's parents flashed through the child's mind, as the boy sobbed and began rocking back and forth from within the corner. Finally, Charles couldn't take it anymore as he wordlessly placed two fingers against his temple and calmed his mind.

 _Seien Sie ruhig, Erik ... Es ist in Ordnung..._ Charles spoke out within Erik's mind. Causing the young child to freeze in place but he remained in the same position.

 _Wer bist du?_ Erik asked back, and the telepath could still feel the boy's apprehension, his fear and anger.

Using his upper arms for support, he lifted himself off his chair and knelt on his knees, slowly moving closer to Erik's curled up form. _Ich bin wie du, Erik. Ich bin anders._

And ever so slowly, young gray-green eyes met calming blue as Erik finally lifted his arms off his head and looked up at Charles, tears of fear still streaming down his face. " _Du bist eine ... Mutante? Das hat mich der Doktor genannt._ " A sad smile graced Charles face, knowing that Erik had to find out about his own kind from someone like Sebastian Shaw was almost too much for him to bare.

" _Ja bin ich. Ich bin a Telepath. Ich kann die Gedanken der Leute lesen._ " He paused for a moment, thinking. " _Sprechen Sie Englisch?_ "

Erik nodded his head. "Y-Yes..."

Charles smiled, genuinely this time. "That's good, Erik. My name is Charles Xavier."

The nine year old tilted his head to the side, looking at Charles in thought, "You are... British?"

A chuckle escape Charles lips at the innocent question. "Correct, Erik. I am." And for the first time since he woke up, Erik looked proud. There was a glint of pride in his eyes that wasn't there before and Charles was so very happy to see that.

"My Mama and Dada taught me..." Erik trailed off in realization, his eyes going wide as saucer plates and the fear was washing over Erik, looking as though it would drown him any second. " _Meine Eltern..._ " Then everything that consisted of metal began shaking.

"Erik..." Charles moved closer and attempted to calm the boy, trying to send him calming waves but Erik was far too angry and simply blocked them out

"The doctor— _Schmidt..._ K-Killed my mama!" Rage filled those gray-green eyes and it was the same rage Charles had once seen on Erik's expression back when they first met, back where this all started with Shaw in 1962. To see _this_ version of his best friend so angry at such a young age, frightened Charles, not that he was scared _of_ Erik, no... he was scared _for_ Erik. "He hurt me! _Sachen zu mir!"_ The nine year old yelled with rage, tears of anger, sadness and brokenness trailed down his cheeks. Then there was a loud _grinding_ sound of metal being crushed somewhere under the intense weight of Erik's power. "I hate him! I want him _ **dead**_!" At that declaration, Charles reached out his hands out and grasped the boy's shoulders because _no_ , he wasn't just going to stand by and watch this child— his dearest friend be consumed by his anger once again.

 _Not again..._

"Erik, please... Be calm. I know you are angry and that you are hurting but _please_ believe me when I say that everything it's going to be **_alright_**. I am here and I won't let any harm befall you ever again, my friend."

And just like that, with those two simple words, the anger that etched Erik's young face was gone. Erik sniffled, tears still cascading down his cheeks. "F-Friend?"

Charles smiled sadly, remembering a conversation he once had with Erik after he saved him from drowning, that he never had any friends growing up, that he never knew the meaning of the word until he met Charles. "Yes, Erik. _Friend_. I am your friend." Squeezing the child's shoulders, comfortingly as Erik raised his hands and gripped his elbows, clinging to the fabric of the long sleeve sweater the telepath wore.

"I've never had a friend before." Erik admitted as he gently wiped away the moisture on his face.

He gave the boy another sad smile, reaching upward he place a hand on top of the boy's head. "Well, Erik. You do now."

* * *

The next few hours was showing Erik around the Manor. The telepath showed the boy the courtyard, the basketball court, the Breakstone Lake and boathouse along with the rest of their home. And Erik, who was currently attached to the side of Charles' wheelchair, his hand firmly clinging to the armrest seemed fascinated with all that he was seeing. Charles couldn't help but smile as he saw the wonder in Erik's young eyes, as they walked throughout the different corridors of the Manor.

"So you say I am... in the future? And Schmidt has been gone for years?" Erik inquired skeptically, obviously not fully believing the explanation that was given to him. And Charles couldn't blame his young friend for not believing them, it was such a _ridiculous_ lie, one that obviously not impossible seeing as Logan was able to achieve it. But for someone in Erik's position, it was no wonder the boy looked wary.

But this was the only thing Charles could think of to ease Erik into the 1970s.

"I know it must be hard for you to believe." The telepath watched as his friend looked down at the floor and pressured his lips together. Charles placed a gentle hand on his Erik's shoulder. "But that's alright if you don't believe it right now, take all the time you need, Erik. But know that you can always trust us with your safety." Erik moved out of the children as some of the classes were dismissed, looking rather surprised to see so many kids here as they continued down the hallway.

Erik looked around and smiled back at them and Charles could sense his _disbelief_ athow many children were like him. "I thought I was alone." The Professor had to swallow the lump in his throat at those words before he had the confidence in himself to speak, because those were the exact same words Erik had uttered so long ago.

He shook his head, once. Only once.

"You're not alone." He gave his friend a smile, the same exact one as before when they first met that night in the waters off the coast of Miami. He stared straight into the child's eyes, determined now as he was back then.

"Erik, you were and are _never_ alone."

* * *

Alright, so now I know that Erik is a lot older when that whole thing happened in 1944 with Shaw and the murder of his mother... I think he's actually fourteen, making him older then both Charles and Raven in the movies? But for cuteness purposes I decided to make Erik 9 years old instead of fourteen, which technically would make Raven and Charles even younger when they first met, but _meh_.

Also Little!Erik is adorable and trusts Charles almost a little too quickly but he's just happy to be around an actual adult that isn't going to hurt him for a change. Anywoo, thoughts? Since the first chapter didn't get any reviews I'm assuming it was too short? Or not interesting, I apologize for that it's been a long while since I've written for X-Men, so I hope this one is better.

Please leave them in a review and I will see you all soon.

German Translation: (at least I hope this is correct, forgive me if it isn't) in order.

 **" _Nein! Gehen Sie weg, bitte..._ "**

 _No! Go away, please..._

 **" _Mumie... Vati! Helfen Sie mir!_ "**

 _Mommy... Daddy! Help me!_

 _ **Seien Sie ruhig, Erik ... Es ist in Ordnung...** _

_Be calm, Erik... It is alright..._

 ** _Wer bist du?_**

 _Who are you?_

 _ **Ich bin wie du, Erik. Ich bin anders.** _

_I'm like you, Erik. I am different._

 **" _Du bist eine ... Mutante? Das hat mich der Doktor genannt._ "**

 _You're a... mutant? That's what the Doctor called me_

 **" _Ja bin ich. Ich bin a Telepath. Ich kann die Gedanken der Leute lesen._ "**

 _Yes, I am. I'm a telepath. I can read people's thoughts_

 **" _Sprechen Sie Englisch?_ "** _Can you speak English?_

 **" _Meine Eltern..._ "** _My parents..._

 _ **Sachen zu mir!** __Did things to me_


	3. Chapter 3

Writing this part wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be, seeing as I haven't written an X-Men story in a long time, not only that but it's the first X-Men story I've written since my writing has improved drastically over the years. And looking back at my previous stories for X-Men, I can't help but grimace, because how did any of you guys like them? I mean they all hold a special place in my heart like all my old fanfics do, but they are so... cringy, at least to me.

Anyway, I hope that I've at least improved a little bit since then.

* * *

Erik didn't truly know what to make of all of this, he didn't understand. One moment he was being tortured by Shaw and the next moment he was in the future with all these other children that were like him. That were different and outcasts to the rest of the world, outcasts to the people who were normal. Nothing made sense anymore and that made Erik scared, and he didn't like being scared. He was scared of Schmidt and the gun he held in his hands and that's why he couldn't move that coin, his fear is what got his mother killed. He vowed that day to never be scared again, but when he saw that blue scaled woman and the furry blue monster, Erik couldn't help but feel that overwhelming fear consume him. Upon instinct, he sought to flee, to run and find a safe place to hide but the entrance was blocked by the creatures, so all he could do was back himself into a corner another cry, willing the metal all around him to protect him, shield him and he prayed for his parents to help him, to keep him safe like they always did.

Even though Erik logically knew they would never be able too, he still cried out for them.

But then a voice inside his head made him freeze, completely catching him off guard. The voice was calm, gentle, caring. All the things that reminded him of his parents, how they would always act whenever he had moments where he couldn't control his anger, his fear. In his native language the voice informed him that everything was alright and that he needed to calm down.

 _Who are you?_ He had asked silently. The voice... or _person_ introduced himself as Charles Xavier and that he, like Erik, was also different. A mutant, just like he was. The man named Xavier seemed nice, he smiled gently whenever Erik would look at him as they made their way down the corridors of the building they were in, during which Xavier explained to Erik that he had traveled through time. That he was now in the year 1984. Something that Erik just couldn't wrap his mind around, even though this place firmly looked entirely different then how it had been before. Erik still couldn't believe this was happening.

It was unreal, it was impossible.

"Nothing is impossible, Erik." Xavier said a loud, a small smile on his face. Catching Erik off guard again, the man obviously reading his thoughts. Which Erik didn't know what to make about, not entirely sure if he was okay with someone reading his mind whenever he please. "Don't worry, my friend. I know when to give people space. You're thoughts will remain your own."

There was that word again. Friend... Erik honestly didn't know what to make of it, he never had a friend before. Suddenly, Erik felt a hand fall on his shoulder, it was gentle and held no ill intent but Erik still flinched anyway. "You have nothing to worry about, Erik. All I want to do is help you, help you control your powers."

"Help me?" He asked, as he remembered that Schmidt said the exact same thing, as a cruel way to justify all the torment he put him through during those first few weeks in the camps. Immediately, he became defensive. "With what?"

"Let me rephrase." Xavier said, obviously sensing Erik's tension. "I want to give you a safe place to stay, where you are welcomed with open arms and where you can be yourself, use your powers without anyone making you, or without anyone hurting you."

Erik's shoulders remained tense, Xavier gently gave one of them a soft squeeze. "You have every right to be distrusting, Erik. I've stated that I am not here to harm you, no one will ever again." Upon hearing this, hearing the sincerity in the man's words, Erik relaxed. Which was a first for him, giving how ever since Schmidt recent tests on his body, he had a hard time trusting anybody. Doctors, nurses, the lot. But here was something about Xavier's presence that felt almost familiar somehow but he couldn't understand why or how, there was just something about this man that made Erik truly see that he had no malicious intent. That he really was helping Erik out of the kindness of his heart, which he hasn't seen out of a man since his father died a week after his mother.

"What should I do now?"

Xavier smiled, "What do _you_ want to do, Erik."

Erik was about to answer when a loud growl sounded out from within his stomach, his eyes widened and his cheeks turn pink in embarrassment. Remembering the last time his stomach made such a loud noise a drunken guard, slammed his face into the wall, yelling at him, punishing him for being so loud. And even though he knew Xavier really was going to hurt him, he still clinched up, on impulse.

Xavier merely chuckled at the sound. "I think I know exactly where to go first."

* * *

Charles never tired from giving every new child that came into his home, a tour around the Manor, around the grounds and around the entire property. Seeing the amazement and wonder on all their young faces, their thoughts of relief and hope washed over them and connected to Charles, as they finally had a place to call home, a place of salvation. He never tired of seeing those smiles, and he never will. But something about Erik's was different. He had the same wonder and delight all the rest of the children had but to Charles, it was more then that, like it ran deeper. But maybe that was the reason, because this wasn't just another child he'd taken in.

This was _Erik_. A younger version of him, but this was still his best friend.

His best friend, whom was just as stubborn with eating now then how he was the day they had first met.

A few weeks after Charles had brought them all to Westchester, he noticed that Erik hardly ever ate. And even if he did, it was nothing bigger then a biscuit or a few handfuls of cashews. Back then, he knew from reading Erik's mind the reason why; trauma, sure half the reason was his stomach adjusting, but Schmidt's camp was mainly the cause of Erik's affliction. When Erik watched a fellow prisoner die from severe food poisoning. Erik had watched as the man violently vomited up the contaminated food, mixed with blood, then dying shortly after. Upon witnessing that, Erik refused to eat, only ever doing so just enough to prevent starvation.

So when Charles took Erik to the cafeteria where all the other children were, when he let Erik pick out some breakfast, when they sat down outside, among all the flowers and grass. Charles watched Erik pick at his food like a baby bird, something he also did as an adult whenever someone gave him food without his choice.

And from Erik's thoughts, the boy felt bad for not eating. That Charles was being so kind to him, giving him salvation, giving him food and yet he couldn't eat a few bits of bread. _What was wrong with him—_ "Erik." Charles interrupted reaching forward, he place a comforting hand on Erik's wrist. Bringing the boy out of his destructive thoughts. "There's no need to rush." He said calmly, giving the boy a look of understanding. "I know the trauma you went through, take as much time as you need to eat."

Erik swallowed the obvious lump in his throat, and then looked up at Charles, his eyes filled with uncertainty. "Really?"

Charles nodded, "Yes, my friend. Just know that eating is essential to living, and that you and I will work on that just as everything else, but within time and when you feel ready." He explained as he patted Erik's hand. "Does that sound alright with you?"

Erik looked down at his plate of food once again and then at the metal utensils laying next to him. Charles watched the boy take a breathe, weighing his options and processing those words. "Yes. Professor." Erik held out his small hand for Charles to take.

Charles let out a chuckle, remembering the various times Erik had teased him with that word. "Call me Charles."

Reaching forward, they both shook hands.

* * *

Erik spent the next few days getting to know his surroundings. The building he was in, someplace in Westchester, an area in New York he was taught from his father long ago before the soldiers came, before the war. His parents didn't know much about the world outside of their country, but they details, descriptions of various places. They taught Erik as much as they could before they were taken away from their home.

His mother once said that those places untouched by the war and soldiers were bright and beautiful. Looking at the gardens around him as he, a girl named Ororo strolled through the flowers and silent fountain, he wondered if this is what Westchester looked like back then.

"Are you adjusting well?" Ororo asked trying to make conversation, and even as young as he was Erik could feel this awkwardness, a familiarity just like with Charles, as though he knew her from someone, which was impossible. Seeing as this was the future and all.

"It's... I—" He struggled to find the right words. "Everything is so much different from where I am from. I'm suppose to be in the future, but it doesn't feel like it and yet it does? I don't know what to make of it, I don't know..."

"I may not be in the same situation but I can understand. I'm from a place on earth where it always gets sun and hardly any water. Being here, as beautiful as it may be is still slightly jarring." Ororo explained as they both sat down on one of the benches, her presence and understanding a comfort towards the roaring confusion within Erik's young heart. "But I believe that the Professor will help us."

Erik still felt somewhat skeptical about all this, Ororo' words help ease his troubled heart if only just slightly, amd Erik was grateful for the kindness, simultaneously they both shared a smile.

Suddenly a puff of blue smoke erupted into the air, causing both Ororo and Erik to jump in surprise as a boy appeared out of the smoke, landing on his feet. "Hello." The boy greeted and Erik realized that not only was his skin was blue, his eyes were yellow and that he had a tail.

But that his accent was familiar.

" _M_ _achst du—_?" He inquired in his own native language, his head tilting to the side in question.

Those yellow eyes widened at him, " _Ja! Ich hätte nie gedacht, dass ich nicht glaube, dass hier jemand spricht!_ "

Erik smiles and for the first time since he woke up, he felt like someone fully understood him. Standing up he walked over the the boy and held out his hand. " _Erik Lehnsherr._ "

The boy held out his hand as well, and Erik notice that he had three fingers instead of five. " _Kurt Wagner._ "

* * *

Four days after Erik appeared at there doorstep, wounded, now a child and Charles was still at a loss of what to do. He still couldn't find the people responsible for Erik's condition. People have stated that he had the strongest telepathic mind in the world, so then why couldn't he find them?

He let out a frustrated sigh and all but yanked the helmet that connected him to Cerebro, off his head. "No luck?" A voice said behind him, Raven, as the door slid open and she was standing there.

"None, I'm afraid. Just like the last five other tries." He ran a hand through his hair, a mild headache was forming at the over use of Cerebro. By the look on her face she was equal parts frustrated and worried. Charles decided to change the subject. "I haven't been around much lately, I apologize." Because while he was determined to find who had done this to their friend, Charles also knew that had basically become a recluse in his search for answers. And he knew that wasn't sitting well with Raven or Moria and he felt guilt over that.

Raven's thought calmed then, her facial expression softening. "It's alright, Charles. I understand." And she did, truly. As did Moria once Charles peaked into her mind a few seconds later. And Charles couldn't be more grateful towards both of them. "Though, Erik has been asking for you."

Ah, yes. That he also knew. And he felt guilt over that as well. Because Erik needed his help, hell his students needed their teacher and here he was down in Cerebro.

He wheeled his way over towards her. "How is he? Is he adjusting well?"

Raven nodded once and walked with him out of Cerebro and down the hallway towards the elevator. "From what Hank has told me, he's adjusted well to where he is, use to the other kids. He's still having a hard time believing in this time travel story, you cooked up." She chuckled, as she pressed the button for the elevator doors to open. "Hell, he even befriended Kurt, their constantly talking in German to each other."

To this, Charles smiled. He figured Erik and Kurt would be friends. He was glad that Kurt took his advice in introducing himself to Erik.

"He also made friends with Ororo. Which makes sense given that they were teammates even if it was under 5,000 year old mutant."

That did make sense, Charles agreed. "What of Peter and yourself?"

Raven hesitated. "He's been keeping his distance and so have I."

"You really don't have too, Raven."

Raven made a face, looking lost. "It's _awkward_. For both of us, for different reason."

Charles really didn't understand that, "Why ever for? He maybe a child but he's still _Erik_."

"Well, yeah that's the point Charles. Seeing Erik the way he is, knowing our history... it's hard. You don't see that because you're his best friend."

Charles let a exasperated sigh escape him, it wasn't directed towards Raven, more towards the situation itself. It wasn't that he didn't see it, Erik being the way he was currently was a _big_ change for all that knew him, one that shocked even he, himself. But in that moment, Charles didn't care about Erik's past mistakes and crimes, _"Sometimes we all need a little help."_ His older self had once said to him when he had once let the pain consume him. Yes, Erik's previous errors and decisions were all but tossed out the window because _in that moment_ Charles only saw a child that was scared and in pain and in desperate need of his help.

And not only was this a child but this was also _Erik_ , a man whom Charles knew all too well and knew that this child would grow up and become, someone who was vengeful and consumed by his rage because he never had the support system that he had with Raven.

And he couldn't watch it happen again, not when there was something he could do about it.

Charles tried to convey this to his sister, but before he could continue speaking Raven interrupted him. "I'm sorry, Charles, I didn't mean to get so heavy all of a sudden."

Charles shook his head, "No, it's alright." Raven was right, it might not be awkward for him to see Erik in such a state but that didn't mean it wasn't for Raven given her previous feelings for him in the past and Peter who was Erik's child and may never know the truth if he didn't find a way to get their Erik back.

The elevator stopped then, door opened. "Anyway. Hank told me that the only thing Erik is having a hard time with are his classes. Particularly, History. Though not the part about him."

" _History_ , right." Charles knew that was going to troublesome for Erik, knowing that his memories now all consist of the events in 1944. "I'll have to talk to him about that."

"Good luck, he's been very _moody_ lately. I think all of—" Raven gestured towards the entirety of the Mansion "— _This_ is starting to get to him." She looked at him with uncertainty, like he may have made a mistake. "I hope you made the right call about saying he's in the future instead of telling him the truth."

He paused as they stood inside the elevator. "I only did so because I knew as young as Erik is, he would either not fully understand or do something drastic at the reveal of who he had become."

"Yes because lying never comes back to bit anyone in the ass." His sister stated, in a tone between sarcastic and serious. "Especially to someone like Erik."

Charles scoffed, slightly. Shaking his head, they both went in opposite directions.

His destination set, Charles went to find Erik.

Locating Erik, didn't prove to be that difficult as Charles followed the boy's thoughts, listen to the mixture of emotions and memories and a few moments later he found the boy sitting on the stone ledge, looking over the vast landscape of trees and greenery, towards the satellite dish. Apparently Erik had been coming to this very spot whenever he was stressed and needed to think, it was a calming place though he could not fathom why. Charles however knew exactly why—

The memory coming within the fore front of his mind immediately.

 _"There's so much more to you then you know."_

Pain and agony. Suffering and rage. That's all that Erik has ever known. He didn't want to admit it back in Carino but Erik was right, technically speaking that _has_ been all he's ever known.

"I've been told that you have been socializing well with the other children." Charles stated as he wheeled up in front of the ledge and locked his chair. Erik jumped slightly at the unexpected voice but when his eyes met Charles, he relaxed. Charles gave the boy a smile. "Though, I have heard you've been having trouble in your classes."

Erik's gaze took new interest with the ground as he turned away from Charles and looked out towards the satellite dish. "History." Erik said his voice uncertain and lost. "This and then. Yours and mine. Are so... different. You told me Schmidt was dead and that the camps and the suffering of my people were over. But I can't help but feel... lost, how can things have been so bad suddenly twist and become so good? And why couldn't things have gotten better before my mother was killed? Before all the torture and pain?"

Erik's thoughts were a storm of pain, anger and hurtful confusion. And Charles had to close his eyes in order to steady himself, to ground himself because seeing Erik like this had never been easy. Seeing anyone like this; Logan, Raven, Scott; watching his friends be in such agony was never easy for him to bare.

 _"It's the greatest gift we have, to bare their pain without breaking."_

But then nothing about life, especially the bad parts, has ever been easy to bare. So Charles would be their rock, their salvation, because he cared about them all too much to see them suffer, and that included Erik. "I understand that everything doesn't make any sense but in time it will get better."

Anger filled Erik's face as he looked at Charles, vaulting over the ledge he now stood there, glaring at Charles, as his two emotions he felt more strongly then anything else etched themselves between every inch of Erik's young face. "How can things get better when my mama and papa are—!" Then that anger disappeared and was now replaced with anguish. Charles' heart constricted in his chest, because seeing Erik cry with his own eyes was entirely different then watching through a few flashes of memories.

"C'mere, my friend." He said, as he reached out his hand for Erik to take, a gentle invitation that he could deny or accept to his choosing. And much to his relief, Erik did. In half of a second, as soon as he offered his comfort welcomingly, Erik only hesitated for a few moments, before he all but collapsed in Charles' lap, falling to his knees Erik's small hands gripped his pants legs and the boy sobbed. Charles swallowed the lump that formed in his throat, as tears formed in his own eyes as well, though he could not determine whom they were from, himself or Erik.

He laid a hand on Erik's hair and the other on his back as he sent all the _reassurance_ and _kindness_ he could muster to try and soothe the chaotic storm within Erik's mind. "I know you feel all alone in this world, Erik. I know you feel out of place and orphaned but like I told you before; you're _not_ alone, you have friends here, everyone in this place is your family now." Charles explained with truth, as he gently patted Erik's back. "I know that none of us can replace the loss of your parents, but know that from now on, you have us."

And Erik was finally able to do something he never got the chance to before the first time around; he grieved. He grieved for the loss of his parents, for the torment Shaw put his through, for the butcher and death of his people, for watching it all happen at such a young age.

And Charles, whereas he hadn't before; let him, instead of trying to push down the anger, like he had so many years ago. Because maybe that was the first step into healing, maybe this could be Erik's first step into peace.

* * *

Thinking this entire situation over, I came to the conclusion that Raven would have a difficult time Erik being a child. Seeing as, in First Class and during the years after the Cuban Missile Crisis, its very heavily implied that they were a thing at least until Erik was arrested and she went off on her own.

So seeing Erik like that, knowing their history, would be awkward for her. But Charles, being an oblivious and naive fool, doesn't see that. Because he's seen that version of Erik already, felt his agony and anger. All he sees is a kid who happens to be his best friend, that needs his help in more ways then just figuring out a way to change him back.

Anywoo, thoughts? Please leave them in a review they are always welcomed and appreciated and I'll hopefully see you all soon.


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